Cowboys vs. Dolphins Preview: 8 Things to Watch for in Preseason Finale

Finally, the last preseason game for fans of the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins has come.

With just a week and a half until the 2011 NFL season kicks off, the starters for both squads might sit on the bench more than play, but there are still issues each team will look to address in this final exhibition.

Here's eight things to keep your eye on while tuning into the 'Boys and the 'Phins.

Reggie Bush

Gone are the days of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown leading the rushing attack in Miami, and Dolphin supporters are still wondering if Reggie Bush is the guy to take up the mantle.

Bush has never been able to live up to the name he established for himself coming out of college He is simply a glorified change of pace runner in the NFL. Perhaps a permanent relocation to South Beach is just what the former USC Trojan needed. I mean, a change of scenery worked just fine for Drew Brees.

The new Miami running back needs to put together a solid outing against Dallas in this final preseason game. Despite putting up a respectable eight carry, 48 yard performance against the Carolina Panthers, Bush was held to -1 yards on five carries against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last game.

Cowboys' Offensive Line

Yet another veteran has seen their days as a Cowboy end prematurely due to salary cap issues for Jerry Jones. This time, longtime center Andre Gurode was released, leaving Dallas with more questions than answers at one of the most important linemen positions.

Whoever gets the call to snap the ball to Tony Romo will benefit from the playing time in an actual game and, theoretically, could play longer than most of the 'Boys starters.

The release of Gurode will be a tough transition on the field, and the final exhibition of the season should give fans an idea of what to expect from their team's center position going forward.

Chad Henne

While the Tampa Bay preseason match-up might not have been a great outing for his running back, Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne played his best preseason ball so far in that game.

The former Michigan Wolverine threw for 175 yards and one touchdown, completing 10 of 13 pass attempts.

The Dolphins made it clear this offseason that they haven't been content with Henne's play over the past few seasons by heavily pursuing the Denver Broncos' Kyle Orton.

Henne will look to instill confidence in the Miami front office and fan base this year. Putting together a respectable performance against Rob Ryan's Dallas defense would be a good way to head into the new season.

The Dallas Kicker Battle

The kicker position has been a weakness on the Cowboys roster for many years now. Yet it is a position that head coach Jason Garrett appears determined to fix before the games start counting.

Dallas currently has five kickers on their 80 man roster. Their names are David Buehler, rookie Dan Bailey, Shayne Graham, Kai Forbath and newly signed Dave Rayner.

Buehler and Bailey have seen the most time playing time this preseason, but Garrett obviously hasn't seen enough to feel confident in handing either one of them the job.

It will be interesting to see who kicks well against Miami and who ultimately becomes the head coach's choice at kicker.

Dolphins' Offensive Line

Though Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano has recently come to the defense of his offensive line, the numbers don't lie.

The Dolphins line surrendered five sacks against Tampa Bay and provided no holes for the running backs to run through.

Sparano has claimed that the media has made a bigger deal out of the play of his line than necessary, but if he wants the rest of the NFL to believe that then a stellar performance against the Dallas defense is needed.

Kevin Ogletree

While Kevin Ogletree has produced decent preseason numbers out of the slot position, Dallas fans are still looking for that breakout catch and run from their third-year receiver.

Ogletree has recorded at least 22 yards receiving in each exhibition so far, but he has not scored a touchdown, and his longest reception went for 13 yards.

13 yards will move the chains, but Ogletree needs to continue to improve. Perhaps this Miami game is when he will produce that breakout moment.

Cowboys Offense

Miami may not have had the greatest season in 2010, but they were able to post the ninth best defense in the NFL.

Tony Romo has played well in the preseason so far, but the Dolphin defense should prove to be a tough test for the quarterback and his offense to combat.

There's plenty of firepower for the Cowboys to throw or hand-off to, but how successful will they be against such a formidable opponent?

How Much of the Playbooks Are Used

The upcoming bout between the 'Boys and Dolphins won't be the only time these two meet this season. They'll actually be playing each other in one of the three Thanksgiving Day games as well.

Given that they will both see each other in the regular season, where wins and losses count, how much of their playbooks will Tony Sparano and Jason Garrett showcase?

Logically, the answer should prove to be very little. Coaches never want to show off more than a small percentage their actual playbook, especially against a team they'll meet again down the road.

Still, it'll be interesting to see how the two coaches go about play calling their plays in this one.

Brandon Marshall

There's no question Brandon Marshall is Miami's No.1 deep threat in the passing attack.

Despite catching only two passes against the Buccaneers, Marshall ended the exhibition with 90 yards receiving and a touchdown. One catch went for 30 yards, and the other was a 60 yard bomb.

Marshall has put together two solid performances recently, and it will be interesting to see if it continues in this game against the Dallas secondary.